During cold winter months, the air in your home is usually dry, which means a dehumidifier is not necessary. In fact, dehumidifiers actually work most efficiently in warm temperatures and decrease in efficiency as the temperature cools.
Relative Humidity Levels
Always remember to frequently monitor your dehumidifier during the winter period. In the case of dangerously low temperatures, or if humidity falls below 30 percent, make sure you turn off your device.
But we can give you a range: between 30-40%. It's really important to adjust this number so you don't get condensation on your windows…or you could damage your home and be in for some very expensive repairs.
When to Turn Off the Dehumidifier. Many homeowners use dehumidifiers to help manage indoor moisture levels, particularly during the warmer months of the year. However, it's important to know when to turn the unit off. Once temperatures drop to around 65 degrees, it's best to turn the dehumidifier off.
As you debate whether or not to use a dehumidifier in winter, you should always watch the humidity levels in your home. If your relative humidity levels stay high, it might be a good idea to run your device. In fact, if your humidity levels remain above 50 percent, your room will benefit from a basement dehumidifier.
Yes, dehumidifiers naturally create a small amount of heat as they operate. But most customers don't notice it for a few reasons: (1) it's a very slight increase and (2) since dehumidifiers remove moisture from rooms, they naturally make rooms feel cooler and more comfortable.
You will only need to run your basement dehumidifier system when the humidity levels exceed safe and comfortable levels, so you probably won't need to run it all the time.
Should a Dehumidifier Run Constantly? No, your dehumidifier should not have to run constantly to regulate the air humidity. An optimal humidity level to shoot for is between 30 and 50 percent. Your dehumidifier should reach this in 8 to 12 hours.
Generally speaking, if your humidity stays above 50% most of the time, it is a good idea to use a dehumidifier in winter. To determine the relative humidity level, you can set up a wall humidity regulator to measure the relative humidity of the room.
There are many portable dehumidifiers that are not made for cold rooms because the minimum temperature requirement is 65ºF. Also, there are some dehumidifiers that have special defrost functions or desiccant dehumidifiers that work below this temperature.
In the winter, indoor humidity drops to be between 25 percent and 35 percent. Keeping humidity levels higher than that will be difficult due to the cold climate. Contrary to popular belief the furnace does not dry out humidity.
Generally speaking, the ideal comfort level is between 30-50%. Winter levels will be between 30-40% and in the summer it should be around 40-50%, depending on the outside temperature. You want to feel cool in the summer and warm in the winter and humidity plays a crucial part in the level of comfort in your home.
The basement humidity level should vary between 30% in winter and 50% in summer. 25% is too low and can cause skin conditions and peeling paint. Over 60% is considered too high and can lead to breathing problems, mildew, and fungal growth.
Ordinarily, a dehumidifier will not operate satisfactorily at temperatures below 41 degrees Fahrenheit or under extremely low humidity conditions. At temperatures below 41 degrees the evaporator coils may freeze. This could make it necessary to defrost the coils as often as once per hour.
Better Comfort Throughout Your Home
Even if you don't spend a lot of time in the basement, keeping it warm will make a difference in other parts of the house — particularly the rooms right above it. We talked about the same phenomenon when we looked at bonus rooms above garages.
Yes. Leaving your dehumidifier running overnight shouldn't be a problem, especially if your device has auto-defrost in case of overheating and an auto-off function in case of tank overflows.
Most of the modern dehumidifiers on the market, despite their size, actually use a shockingly small amount of electricity compared with other home appliances, with the average home dehumidifier only consuming, on average, between 300-700 watts of power.
A dehumidifier should collect around 10-20 pints a day. However, factors such as relative humidity levels, size of the appliance, location, and temperature can affect how much it collects.
The lifetime of dehumidifiers usually ranges from five to 10 years. To maximize the lifetime, it's important to care for your dehumidifier. Be sure to regularly change the air filters, clean the condensing coils and exhaust grilles, and empty and clean the water bucket.
It's most common to use a dehumidifier from May through to September but depending on the climate where you live you may need one in the winter. Dehumidifiers can be useful in the winter for wetter and colder climates (such as where we live) where they can prevent condensation on windows and mold growth.
Dehumidifiers have onboard humidistats that automatically maintain the humidity level you set. We suggest keeping your humidity level at 45-50%. You can adjust it slightly based on your comfort level, but keep in mind this is an ideal humidity level for healthy indoor air quality.
Depending on the size of the dehumidifier, some can cost as little as 8p an hour to run, according to Chris Michael, managing director of Meaco.
If the humidity in a room increases, mold will start growing in patches on walls, clothes, and more. So, to answer your question, dehumidifiers do NOT kill mold, but they do prevent it by reducing humidity. If you have a mold problem in your home, don't wait. Mold spreads as long as it has a water source.
A dehumidifier helps your home to feel cooler. As a result, you won't need to run your air conditioner as much, or you can set the thermostat at a higher temperature. This helps your AC system to run more efficiently, resulting in both energy and monetary savings for you.
Open windows on opposite sides of the home for short periods to allow for cross ventilation. You should also take steps to reduce the amount of moisture in your home. Always use the hob extractor if you have one when steaming or boiling food. Ensure a window is open when you take a shower.